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Pickin’ in the Panhandle
Bringing Together Barbecue and Bluegrass, this Growing Festival Draws Thousands to a Nearby West Virginia Hideaway.

by Christine Miller Ford + photos by Jason Turner

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The way Jeff Taulton sees it, the Pickin’ in the Panhandle barbecue and bluegrass festival — held at a creek-side former farm in bucolic Hedgesville, W.Va. — is an ideal way to spend a weekend. First, explains the Hagerstown musician, there’s great music, including performances at this September’s festival by nationally known bands Lonesome Highway and Cadillac Sky along with headliner the Charlie Daniels Band. Second, Jeff notes, nearly every spot at Lazy A Campground that’s not taken up by musicians seems to be occupied by friendly vendors there to entice passersby with top-notch barbecue, homemade ice cream, fresh-squeezed lemonade, cold beer and other refreshments. “Anytime you have good food and good entertainment, people are going to be happy,” says Jeff, who plays bass guitar for Sleepy Creek, one of several bluegrass bands from around the region also set to perform at this year’s festival.

Held in the breath-taking Back Creek Valley of southwestern Berkeley County, Pickin’ in the Panhandle’s enticing combination of music and barbeque draws crowds from throughout the Four-State region. When the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Convention and Visitors Bureau first held the festival in 2007, about 3,500 fans of bluegrass and/or barbecue showed up for the one-day event. The festival’s overwhelming success garnered the attention of West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin III, and Pickin’ in the Panhandle was proclaimed the official West Virginia State BBQ & Bluegrass Festival. Last year’s festival was expanded to two days, and though the torrential downpours from Hurricane Hannah on the first day made it impossible for bands to play on the main stage until evening, day two brought lovely weather. “Saturday was basically a washout, and we still had just under 5,000 people over both days,” explains Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Andrea Ball, who organizes the event. “What if we’d had good weather both days? You can’t help but think that if we’d had two days of good weather, we would have had a total gate of 7,000 or even 8,000.”

Bluegrass, Barbecue and a Bargain
This fall, with an icon like Charlie Daniels on the lineup and with word of the festival continuing to spread, Andrea foresees big things. “The Charlie Daniels Band has an allure that goes beyond bluegrass and even country and really extends to all kinds of music,” she says. “We’re seeing everybody from hard-core country fans to college kids buying tickets,” Andrea says. Fans can enjoy the bands on the main stage or step into the spotlight themselves on the pickin’ porch. Competitions for bluegrass band, banjo, fiddle and flat pickin’ will award cash and prizes.

Another of the festival’s draws is the chance to vie for cash prizes and the title of West Virginia State BBQ Champion. In 2008, the Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned competition brought teams from as far away as Texas and Oklahoma. This year, the festival will again feature awards for both professionals and amateurs. A total of $10,000 in prizes will be awarded. Interestingly, it was actually the barbecue part of the festival that came first. Convention and Visitors Bureau board member Larry Hines, also a wildlife manager at Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area in Back Creek Valley, suggested a barbecue contest could draw tourists to the area. “West Virginia has never really had much of a barbecue tradition,” Larry says. “But as we looked into it, we realized it’s one of the fastest-growing types of festival around. The competitions are a lot of fun — people just love it.” Andrea, a music lover, came up with the idea of incorporating bluegrass, and the initial festival came together fast. The idea was floated in January of 2007 and the event debuted the Saturday after Labor Day that year.

It’s a combination that’s a proven winner so far, and bargain prices for this year are setting up the 2009 Pickin’ in the Panhandle to be another success. “Knock on wood, but right now we’re way ahead of last year. As of March, we’ve already sold more tickets than we did through August of last year.” Andrea points out that, with the economic downturn, ticket pricing has been adjusted to keep the event affordable, particularly for families. Food and drinks are extra, of course, and those who want to stake out a tent or bring a camper on site must sign up ahead of time and pay another $25 per night. “We know the economic times are tough, and we wanted people — whether they’re from out of town or locals — to be able to bring the whole family.”

Music in the Mountains
Year in and year out, whatever the weather, the festival’s relaxing setting is another plus, Larry explains. “So many times, these kind of [barbecue] competitions take place in a parking lot somewhere,” he says. “The Lazy A is an absolutely beautiful place, surrounded by the beautiful mountains and trees.” But just because Pickin’ in the Panhandle happens amid lush mountains, this isn’t music that only “mountain people” can enjoy, insists Jeff, a 47-year-old Boonsboro native who works as a case manager at Frederick Memorial Hospital. “People stereotype music and a lot of times, people think bluegrass is for barefoot hillbillies who live up in the holler somewhere,” he says with a laugh. “I know last year I talked to folks at Pickin’ in the Panhandle who came because they like barbecue, but when they had the chance to hear the music, they realized they liked that, too.”

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Pickin’ in the Panhandle
Sept. 12–13
Lazy A Campground, Hedgesville, W.Va.
Advance tickets cost $20, adults, for both days; tickets at the gate cost $25, adults, for both days. Children ages 12 and younger admitted free with adult ticket holder. Free parking.

Visit www.panhandlepickin.com or call the Convention and Visitors Bureau at 304-264-8801.